Mitsubishi chose to export the Sapporo as their flagship coupe to supplement their range of well-made family cars. It followed the same principle as Ford had used the Capri as the sporting-4-seater man's family car but offered an added dimension of luxury. Initially badged as a Colt for the European market, Mitsubishi's ambitions were guided by Chrysler's global distribution which helped their cars reach significant export markets such as Australia and North America.

Powered by the 2-litre 4G52 engine, it attracted press attention due to its counter-balancing shaft system, which was designed to reduce engine vibrations. It was marketed as a luxury 4-seater coupe rather than an out-and-out sporting car, the car's strengths lay in its smooth power delivery, ride comfort and equipment - in short, a luxurious experience catering for the more discerning driver who valued opulence with space. 

This pre-facelift of the first generation of Sapporo, did much to help add prestige and glamour to the Mitsubishi range. This example is one of two models of the 1980 Sapporo range, with the GSL vision being the most expensive Mitsubishi car of the line-up. Amongst its keen equipment list included a standard Automatic gearbox, power steering as well as novelties such as an overhead console and a radio aerial built within the boot lid. With just three recorded owners and evidence that the car has been exceptionally well cared for, this is a genuinely rare opportunity to obtain a stylish, pillarless Japanese coupe in near-perfect condition throughout.

Attracted to the car's very tidy condition and low number of owners, the current owner was intrigued by this particular Sapporo coupe. Drawn in by its transatlantic styling along with the reputation of positive Japanese engineering and reliability, the owner bought the car earlier this year. The car is now on the market due to a consolidation of his collection and he will use the opportunity of the sale to focus on other projects. 

It comes with a good body of invoices, which goes some way to track the car's history since new. Ordered new by a female owner in September 1980 via the long-established Saunders Abbot dealership in Beckenham, the car retains its original handbook, sales literature, manuals and service book, with stamps up to 1986. 

It is believed to have been retained by that owner well into the 1990s before finding its second owner in the local area. It’s likely it was retained by them before being exported to Ireland in 2010 where it is likely to have seen a professional but undocumented restoration. 

The car was re-imported back into the UK in 2021, having not seen not much more than 3,000 miles over the 10-year period.  It comes with a handful of MOTs which help to collaborate the car's current mileage reading and is sold with an MOT without any advisories to March 2023. 

The cabin is unblemished by modifications and it retains its period style with evidence that it has not been subject to heavy use. This is underlined by the positive condition of the trim and seats. The vinyl elements of the seats have lasted well, with a few minor marks but nothing that really would cause issues. The centre fabric toppers of the seats show signs of age and mild wear but more importantly are free from rips or damage. 

The firmness of the driver's seat has diminished slightly but still retains its shape with all of the beadings mostly intact. The carpets are in very good shape, with very little in terms of wear or discolouration, which considering their light colouring is a remarkable feat. The car is also fitted with still-wrapped aftermarket mats. The headlining is also in excellent condition, with no sagging or marks. 

The door cards are in very good shape too, with all of the multiple layers of materials and fabrics looking as new. The window winder mechanisms are all good with no severe resistance to their operation.

The dashboard has no cracks or damage to the facia and shows very little in terms of wear to the padding of the dashboard, with nothing much more than minor signs of age noted on the centre console plastics. The dials, controls, and overhead console are in good shape, with the instruments legible. The impressive-looking instrument cluster is housed in plastic and is free from scratches. 

All of the main controls and functions are said to work, the car retains its AM/MW radio but remained untested. The steering wheel and gear lever are in good shape, with minor indications of wear noted on the wheel.

Initial apathy for the majority of older Japanese cars has meant they were not revered in the same way as their European peers. However, the few that have survived, especially this example, really do serve as a feast for the eyes. The main areas such as the floor pan, inner wings and sills are in good shape, the inspection is made considerably easier by the lack of a coat of black under-seal. 

The clean engine bay continues the good news, with the engine and suspension mounts looking solid, with the boot suspension turrets also appearing to be in a good state. Externally the car presents exceptionally well, with no issues noted on the doors, wings or arches. The only blemish was observed on the off-side C pillar, where there appear to be imperfections under the paint. Further inspection along with the windscreen surround, A-pillars and the seams where panels meet don’t reveal any issues. 

The lower panels do not reveal much in terms of damage, with perhaps a few small signs that the car would need a few dabs of rust inhibitor in places. The doors open and close without any issues, and the panel gaps and fit are excellent. The warm white paint is in very good order, with decent coverage and no signs of age. The car is generally free of road chips, with the door edges in very good shape. No dents or panel blemishes are noted.

The chrome presents well, but the quality has matted somewhat in places, particularly on the bumpers. There is also a minor scuff on the corner of the nearside rear bumper. The body trim and embellishments are in very good shape, with no missing parts and appear to be correct for the GSL model. The lights and lenses display no observation of damage. The glass is free from significant issues and show no signs of chips or distracting scratches. 

The car has decent rubber seals throughout. It is fitted with optional fit alloy wheels, which appear to be from the later model but to the casual observer, are a well-suited match that complements the car's handsome lines. They’re in excellent shape with no metal damage. They’re fitted with a set of Goodyear eagle tyres, which are likely to be over 20 years old, however, are all in good shape and show a healthy amount of tread.

Many of the high spec Mitsubishi’s of this period are defined by their ’80’ Series 2-litre OHC ‘silent shaft’ engines, which were created to cancel out vibrations piston vibrations and are said to be comparable with the smooth operation of V8 engines. With this in mind, the engine appears to have retained that attribute and runs very smoothly. There were no significant issues with the idling of the engine, with no knocking, tapping or indeed harsh vibrations observed. 

The engine does run a little lean but is free from excessive smoke and the owner will ensure that the car runs as good as it possibly can prior to its handover. It’s likely that the recent lack of use has contributed to this issue and it simply needs a good run and mild tune. There was no evidence of leaking fuel or fluids on the day. Its oil pressure, coolant temp and charge system are all good. The exhaust, fuel tank and axle are in good shape too. 

The car does drive well, with no reported issues with the ride, with no immediate issues with the suspension or steering reported by the owner. The car is said to absorb the road well, with no over slackness or noises from the steering, with no straining from the power steering. The gearbox performs smoothly, with no trouble in engaging drive or reverse, it appears to be free of slippage. The car brakes accurately, its four-disc brake set-up is well able to stop the car with no judders or pulling to the side. 

The engine presentation is another delightful aspect of the car, the core components, including the hoses and ancillaries are all in good shape, there are a few signs of the ageing process on some of the minor metal components but otherwise, everything appears to point to a car that has been well looked after. The running gear is in excellent shape, with their visual condition suggesting that they have also seen some form of attention in the recent past. 

With the standard and long-established virtues of reliability, quality and an impressive array of standard equipment, the Japanese had built on a reputation of knowing exactly what consumers wanted in their cars. What the Sapporo managed to do, was not only to build on those qualities but by producing an impressively smooth running engine packaged into what has to be best described as an elegantly styled luxury coupe, the Mitsubishi Sapporo added glamour and further appeal to this inherit qualities. 

It was the first of their luxury coupes and as the decade progressed so did their confidence in dynamics and road-holding, but the charm in these early examples lies in their period luxury cabins and the reputation of mechanical durability, packaged in a car that simply looks good from every angle.